You will be asked to work in interest groups to develop a matrix of the learning needs of one of the following groups of students. This data will be combined into our class matrix and fact sheet which identifies issues to be addressed when dealing with these particular populations of students in the classroom.
Student Groups:
Gifted and talented
English Language Learners
Students w/ ADHD
Students with specific learning disabilities (reading, writing, math)
Economically disadvantaged students
High functioning autistic students or those w/ Aspergers Syndrome
.............................. Group Members
................................ Special Population
...................................... Brief description of Population
....................................................................................... Learning tips in content, process, Products or environment
Carolina Gayoso, Anais Buckley
Gifted and talented 1
They might show extraordinary strengths in innate understanding, natural compassion, humor, a command of language, mathematical reasoning, artistic ability, charismatic personality, mechanical ability or a combination of some of the above. They can show technical capability, perseverance, and maturity unmatched by any others in the class
Due to Now Child Left Behind most of the funds in public schools have gone to improve the performance of low average students; gifted and talented students are not being serviced.
Some parents ask in discussion pages if gifted or talented children should skip a grade, but there is a huge concern: How about their social skills?
Schools need to change the definition of smart
Do not teach content. Teach children
Focus on different intelligences Focus on other activities: music, art, creative movement, the culinary institute, physical education, and technology Teachers make sure they offers at least one activity utilizing each "smart," (body smart, picture smart, etc) and builds that into student awareness and vocabulary. Rotate activities relinquish some control and invest more trust in the students Motivation and engagement are 90 percent of the game.
Melissa, Randa, Melanie, Allison
ELL
Learning English, but are native speakers of a different language. Their level of English may vary, but typically, they are considered ELL if their comprehension and production of English interferes with their learning in the regular mainstream. If they need support in order to keep up, they are considered English Language Learners.
Difficulties communicating with families due to language and cultural barriers.
Difficulties finding people that speak their native language in order to bridge the gap.
Overcrowded classroom Tight budgets Lack of teacher training Big controversy over best method: English language immersion or bilingual education. How much emphasis to give to native language. Big debate over additive approaches versus subtractive approaches. Lack of bilingual teachers Standardized tests are a big challenge.
Using technology to help students with their vocabulary and concepts:
1. Using LCD, alphasmarts, internet, digital cameras, scanners, and online videos and images.
2. Tools and techniques: Using goole image search as a new visual dictionary. Making it more of an exploratory activity.
3. Using internet search engines is going to equip them with the skills to evaluate the validity or usefulness of a website.
4. Using the LCD projector you can take games like boggle and make it a whole class activity. First shake the gridbox, take a digital picture of the results, and send it directly to the computer. (or you may use a docucam if you have one).
5. Editing student writing: Also using the overhead to project to the whole class.
-Music has positive effects on people´s emotions and creativity. When we sing together we synchronize out breathing and feel more connected.
Music is an effective medium for retaining information because it activates three different centers of the brain at the same time: language, hearing and mental motor control. Therefore it creates a heightened condition of awareness and mental acuity.
Words paired with music are far easier to retain.
The messages in the songs must be reinforced by complementary activities such as writing, speaking, acting, drawing, building, creating and movement (MI)
-All teachers learn about the students´ cultural and national background to connect with them.
Multilingual classrooms are using the following techniques:
- Extending school year
o After school programs that implement phonics-based learning programs.
o Use community resources.
- Due to the lack of money- schools are have gone to local community colleges and have students who volunteer as translators.
- For books- they are going to the local city library and community organizations for extra resources.
- Bilingual teachers are benefitting from government due to the amount of ELL students:
- Receiving bonuses and receiving better teacher training.
- The following approaches have been working:
-Phonic based success for all learning program: A strict and uniform lesson plan that requires 90 minutes of reading in school and 20 more at home.
-Work in small groups based on ability
-Cooperative learning.
-Provide individual after school assistance
-Have ongoing community effort
Alessia, Alexandra, Deborah and Veronica
(PLEASE DO NOT ERASE, THIRD TIME WE POST IT)
ADHD
Condition of the brain that makes it difficult for students to control their behavior. Affects an estimated of 4 to 12 percent of all school age children, about 3 times more boys than girls. Multitasking is a way of life for kids these days and this causes them to loose their ability to focus and have more ADHD problems. Misdiagnoses of ADHD can represent have a dozen of other problems.
The student will… -Tune out what doesn’t interest him. -Get lost going from one simple task to another. -His imaginations revs up without warning. -Doesn’t pay attention -Day dream -Have trouble with peers, problems with social cues. -Be Impulsive, they will react before thinking about the consequences for their actions.
- Try to shut down any kind possible distractions. - Make sure a written plan is near the student. - Concentrate your attention on a particular thing. - Be specific in your explanation, make sure the student knows exactly what they need to do. - Give immediate positive feedback, making sure the child knows what they did right. - Look for different alternatives before you use medication. (Relaxation strategies, etc)
Jeff Shirk
LD
A disorder in basic psychological processes involved in understanding or using language, spoken or written, that may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or use mathematical calculations. ...
These studetns often have average to above average intellegence; however, they are challenged in processing or speaking (learning) in specific areas- like writing, reading and math. They don't look different- their disabiltiy is hidden. they face low self esteem, academic problems, social problems, they often excel in one area. May take longer and more intensive stratgies (differentiation to learn) May cohorbit other problems with ADHD etc.
vary the length or quantity of the assignment.
extend or curtail the duration of the assignment.
change the language of the assignment.
scaffold the learning activity from hard to medium to easy.
compact the activity and teach only what they don't know.
Allow for Re-Do
check up on student
be sensitive of learning diff
positive encouragement
work with capable student
allow for MI & interests
Give extra time
Mariella, Fiorella, Joe, Rita V.
High Functioning Autistic, Aspergers
Students that focus on a single interest
If not treated on time the disease degenerates
Students maybe a handful at home and disruptive at school but have high intellectual abilities
Is usually represented as endless body rocking and arm flopping
Excessive sensory stimulation can be overwhelming for them
Concrete thinkers
Struggle with abstract thinking
Hard to deal with too much stimulus (noisy environments)
Use literal meanings
Avoid too much sensory stimulus
Keep a schedule routine
Written plan of classroom plans and responsibilities
Create a safe, happy and positive environment
Learn about child´s issues and interests.
Be kind but firm.
· Identify student´s individual needs in specific situations such as play areas. For instance which type of textures stimulate/irritate students · They must have a written behavior plan · Visual support
Include parents
Mariana, Rita, Carina
High Functioning Autistic or Asperger
Autism is a complex collection of behaviors that generally surfaces around age two. Aspergers is a mild form autism. Children can have a wide range of abilities, and the diagnosis runs along a spectrum, reflecting the child's level of cognitive and language impairment.
Autism is usually characterized by physical repetitive movements such as rocking or flapping of the arms.These children have problems in social interaction, they usually engage in repetitive, obsessive routines. They focus on a single interest. Sensory stimulation often overwhelms these kids with fury or shutting down completely.
reinforce positive behaviors in a structured environment to encourage learning.
break skills into small measurable tasks
rewards are very helpful
do not reward in any way negative behaviors
teachers should keep a record of what is working and what is not
Floortime Foundation emphasizes social, emotional and intelectual capacities instead of focused skills and isolated behavior.
Anne, Rocío, Cynthia, Maria Angela
Gifted and talented
Gifted students are not being serviced. Students who often have a higher than average IQs, often have high performance, good problem solving, are able to think critically, often widely read, abstract thinkers, often energetic, highly inquisitive, and sometimes have an “I’d rather do it myself”. Intellectual giftedness may be general or specific.
Learning challenges that many gifted children may face are boredom, stigmatization, becoming social outcasts, difficulty taking criticism, and collaborating with others.
Differentiation and independent project. Find out what they are passionate about and tap into that. Some parents ask in discussion pages if gifted or talented children should skip a grade, it is very controversial and does not fit easily into constraints of the typical school system. There is also the suggestion that school should rethink the way grades are formed.
Susan, Jake, Ruthie
ADHD-Description ADHD is a special subset of the population characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Typically speaking, a school setting is not the only place this is/should be diagnosed. People must exhibit the symptoms in two or more settings in order to be diagnosed. ADHD is distinguished from ADD by hyperactivity and impulsivity so here is a little more information about those two symptoms. Hyperactivity may be manifested through fidgeting, leaving his/her seat often, excessive talking and other ways. Impulsivity may include blurting out answers before questions have been completed, difficulty taking turns, interruptions, and other ways. It should be noted that ADD and ADHD are very often misdiagnosed
break complex tasks into smaller steps provide structure instruction in morning hours frequent breaks small groups preferential seating non verbal cues when student is off track Immediate and positive reinforcement Clear expectations
Learning Challenges It is difficult for this group of students to follow very long complex sets of instructions and tasks. It is difficult for these students to work for long periods of time without breaks (they can go longer when it is something they picked to do). Large group situations can be challenging. This children may test limits (consciously or subconsciously). It is tough for these students to get organized
Student Groups:
Group Members
Special
Population
Brief description of Population
Learning Challenges
Learning tips in content, process, Products or environment
Some parents ask in discussion pages if gifted or talented children should skip a grade, but there is a huge concern: How about their social skills?
Schools need to change the definition of smart
Focus on different intelligences
Focus on other activities: music, art, creative movement, the culinary institute, physical education, and technology
Teachers make sure they offers at least one activity utilizing each "smart," (body smart, picture smart, etc) and builds that into student awareness and vocabulary.
Rotate activities
relinquish some control and invest more trust in the students
Motivation and engagement are 90 percent of the game.
Difficulties finding people that speak their native language in order to bridge the gap.
Overcrowded classroom
Tight budgets
Lack of teacher training
Big controversy over best method: English language immersion or bilingual education.
How much emphasis to give to native language. Big debate over additive approaches versus subtractive approaches.
Lack of bilingual teachers
Standardized tests are a big challenge.
1. Using LCD, alphasmarts, internet, digital cameras, scanners, and online videos and images.
2. Tools and techniques: Using goole image search as a new visual dictionary. Making it more of an exploratory activity.
3. Using internet search engines is going to equip them with the skills to evaluate the validity or usefulness of a website.
4. Using the LCD projector you can take games like boggle and make it a whole class activity. First shake the gridbox, take a digital picture of the results, and send it directly to the computer. (or you may use a docucam if you have one).
5. Editing student writing: Also using the overhead to project to the whole class.
-Music has positive effects on people´s emotions and creativity. When we sing together we synchronize out breathing and feel more connected.
Music is an effective medium for retaining information because it activates three different centers of the brain at the same time: language, hearing and mental motor control. Therefore it creates a heightened condition of awareness and mental acuity.
Words paired with music are far easier to retain.
The messages in the songs must be reinforced by complementary activities such as writing, speaking, acting, drawing, building, creating and movement (MI)
-All teachers learn about the students´ cultural and national background to connect with them.
Multilingual classrooms are using the following techniques:
- Extending school year
o After school programs that implement phonics-based learning programs.
o Use community resources.
- Due to the lack of money- schools are have gone to local community colleges and have students who volunteer as translators.
- For books- they are going to the local city library and community organizations for extra resources.
- Bilingual teachers are benefitting from government due to the amount of ELL students:
- Receiving bonuses and receiving better teacher training.
- The following approaches have been working:
-Phonic based success for all learning program: A strict and uniform lesson plan that requires 90 minutes of reading in school and 20 more at home.
-Work in small groups based on ability
-Cooperative learning.
-Provide individual after school assistance
-Have ongoing community effort
(PLEASE DO NOT ERASE, THIRD TIME WE POST IT)
Affects an estimated of 4 to 12 percent of all school age children, about 3 times more boys than girls.
Multitasking is a way of life for kids these days and this causes them to loose their ability to focus and have more ADHD problems.
Misdiagnoses of ADHD can represent have a dozen of other problems.
-Tune out what doesn’t interest him.
-Get lost going from one simple task to another.
-His imaginations revs up without warning.
-Doesn’t pay attention
-Day dream
-Have trouble with peers, problems with social cues.
-Be Impulsive, they will react before thinking about the consequences for their actions.
- Make sure a written plan is near the student.
- Concentrate your attention on a particular thing.
- Be specific in your explanation, make sure the student knows exactly what they need to do.
- Give immediate positive feedback, making sure the child knows what they did right.
- Look for different alternatives before you use medication. (Relaxation strategies, etc)
Aspergers
- Use literal meanings
- Avoid too much sensory stimulus
- Keep a schedule routine
- Written plan of classroom plans and responsibilities
- Create a safe, happy and positive environment
- Learn about child´s issues and interests.
- Be kind but firm.
· Identify student´s individual needs in specific situations such as play areas. For instance which type of textures stimulate/irritate students· They must have a written behavior plan
· Visual support
ADHD is a special subset of the population characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Typically speaking, a school setting is not the only place this is/should be diagnosed. People must exhibit the symptoms in two or more settings in order to be diagnosed. ADHD is distinguished from ADD by hyperactivity and impulsivity so here is a little more information about those two symptoms. Hyperactivity may be manifested through fidgeting, leaving his/her seat often, excessive talking and other ways. Impulsivity may include blurting out answers before questions have been completed, difficulty taking turns, interruptions, and other ways. It should be noted that ADD and ADHD are very often misdiagnosed
provide structure
instruction in morning hours
frequent breaks
small groups
preferential seating
non verbal cues when student is off track Immediate and positive reinforcement
Clear expectations
It is difficult for this group of students to follow very long complex sets of instructions and tasks.
It is difficult for these students to work for long periods of time without breaks (they can go longer when it is something they picked to do).
Large group situations can be challenging.
This children may test limits (consciously or subconsciously).
It is tough for these students to get organized